David's Astronomy Pages Notes - Session 1028 (2022-08-18)

Notes (S1027)

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Notes (S1029)

	Session Aims & Highlights
	- Observing Result  - Night Summary Plot  - Session Event Log
	Operational Issues
	- Critical Issues (0),  Major Issues (1),  Minor Issues (0),  Small Defects (0),  Continuous Improvement (0)
	Images from 2022-08-18 >>        [ Local Files >> ]

Session Aims & Highlights (2022-08-18)

Main aims

1. AstroMain.  Check out fixes and new features & changes in 3.53.6 version of AstroMain. Ensure that new version hasn't introduced any new issues. 
2. AstroPlan.  Check out changes in the way MustInclude parameter in handled in 1.31 version of AstroPlan, and check that Tier1/Tier2 MustInclude is working as expected in a Live Session. Ensure that new version hasn't introduced any new issues.
3. Targets.  Acquire images of a selection of variable stars, nearby stars, comets & deep sky targets as allowed by time & twilight conditions.
4. Minkowski 1-79.  Acquire images small planetary nebula Minkowski 1-79, the Deep Sky Challenge Object in Sept 2022 edition of Ast.Now Magazine.

 Equipment & Software

• 12" LX200 and ST-10XME
• 80mm APO and ZWO ASI 178MC
• CCDApp2, TheSky6, CCDSoft5, DeviceHub 6.6.0.16,  MeadeGeneric 1.3.5.414, UPB 1.5, ASCOM 6.6
• Pegasus UPB & Motor Focus, TCF-S
• SharpCap 3.2, PHD2  2.6.11
   
• AstroMain 3.53.6 / 3.53.7,  AstroPlan 1.31,   AstroShCap 1.3.12, AstroGuard 1.8.2
  AstroVOE 1.10  AstroSN 1.8.2,  AstroProtect 1.7,  AstroMove 1.9.1
  (AstroWeather 1.17.5, AstroAllSky 3.16,  AstroObsCam 1.9, AstroLaunch 1.9.4)

Highlights

•  AstroMain. Apart from a fatal exception due to a type in a WriteLogFileRecord2() statement)  which was fixed in-session and released as AstroMain 3.53.7, the program worked as without further new issues or problems.
•  AstroPlan.  AstroPlan successful created a plan that included all 4 Tier1 Must Include targets that were defined before the session
•  Targets. x out of x planned targets were acquired. First x targets were missed/failed due to proceeding crash in AstroMain program..
•  Minkowski 1-79. Small Pl.Neb was successfully imaged (Observation was included as a 'ToO target' after the originally Planned Observation was missed due to a preceeding software failure.

Notes:

• Aurora activity the preceeding night 2022-08-17/2022-08-18.  see Aurora 2022-08-17. Although cloudy the AllSky Camera possibly picked up some activiy based on quick view of the North Panorama Video for the night. To be reviewed.

Summary Plots & Logs

Observing Plan

Observing Result

Dome & Scope Slewing Performance

Slew/Centering Performance

Guiding Performance

Sky Conditions (Locate Frames)

Night Sky Summary Plot Top axis: Sky Brightness at Zenith (in ADU/s) Lefthand axis: Local Time (hh LT). Righthand axis: Sun Altitude (degs)

Actual Weather vs Pre-Session Weather Forecast

Session Event Log

Time     Event Detail 23:26:44 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 23:26 & 03:28 23:26:46   AutoStart Delayed Session delayed due to cloud 23:50:59 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (23:50) 23:51:40   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 23:51:42 Session Created Session Created (Live, 2022-08-18 S01028, ImageSaveNum: 1028001) 23:51:44   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 23:53:25   Services Started Observatory Services started 23:53:32 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 23:53:35 Session Pending Session pending (2022-08-18) 23:53:37 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-08-18) 23:53:39   Plan Requested Observing Plan requested from AstroPlan (1.31) 23:54:08   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 790) 23:54:21   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 23:54:26   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 23:54:50 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 23:55:36   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 23:55:37   Equilibration Started Dome Equilibration started 23:56:41   Equilibration Ended Dome Equilibration ended (1.1 mins total) 23:56:43 Session Running Session running 23:56:45   Queue Started Observing Queue started (14 targets selected) 23:56:47 Program Crashed AstroMain program crashed due to fatal exception (typo in parameter sent to WriteLogFileRecord2) 23:58:00 Dome Closed Dome closed (presumed to be ordered by Relay or possibly by MakeObservatorySafe() but not logged) 23:59:00   Crtical Cloud Alert Critical Cloud reported by AstroGuard 00:11:00   Telescope Parked Telescope parked by AstroGuard 02:14:53 Session Resumed Session Resumed (Live, 2022-08-18 S01028, ImageSaveNum: 1028001) 02:15:15   Obs.Manager Started Obs.Manager started 02:15:17   Obs.Overseer Started Obs.Overseer started 02:15:20   Services Started Observatory Services started 02:15:42   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 02:16:51 Session Monitoring AutoStart monitoring for Live Session opportunity between 02:16 & 03:28 02:16:53 Observatory (AutoStart) Observatory placed in Auto-Start Mode 02:16:55 Session AutoStarting Session autostarting (02:16) 02:17:15   Scope Switched On Telescope Power has been switched on via UPB Powerbox. 02:19:01   Services Started Observatory Services started 02:19:08 Observatory (Auto) Observatory placed in Fully-Automated Mode 02:19:10 Session Pending Session pending (2022-08-18) 02:19:12 Session Initiating Session initiating (2022-08-18) 02:19:16   Plan Loaded Observing Plan loaded to queue (Plan ID: 790) 02:19:31   Camera1 Connected SBIG Camera connected (set point -10°C) 02:19:37   Telescope Connected Telescope connected (TheSky6) 02:20:01 Session Equilibration Session ready to Open Dome 02:20:46   Dome Opened Dome opened (opening time 45s) 02:20:48 Session Running Session running 02:20:51   Queue Started Observing Queue started (8 targets selected) 02:20:52     Target Started (NrZen) Target started (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729) 02:21:07   Dome Unparked Dome unparked 02:23:10       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:26:01       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1, wide) 02:28:00       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 1) 02:28:01       Focusing Started-Foc2 Foc2 Focusing Started (Secondary Scope, using ShCap) 02:30:12       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2, wide) 02:31:59       Focusing Completed Foc2 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 2) 02:32:17     Target Completed Target completed (Focus Field 23, HIP 113729) 02:32:19     Target Missed (7/14) Target's time slot was missed (7/14, GCVS BL Lac) 02:32:21     Target Started (8/14) Target started (8/14, M31 w/Nova2022qzf) 02:35:12       Focusing Skipped Foc1 focusing skipped - star is too dim (TCF-S) 02:52:27     Target Completed Target completed (8/14, M31 w/Nova2022qzf) 02:52:31     Target Started (9/15) Target started (9/15, Minkowski 1-79, ToO) 02:55:46       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 02:58:05       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 3) 03:16:11     Target Completed Target completed (9/15, Minkowski 1-79, ToO) 03:16:13     Target Missed (10/15) Target's time slot was missed (10/15, NGC 6701 w/AT2022nxe) 03:16:15     Target Started (11/15) Target started (11/15, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:23:50     Target Completed Target completed (11/15, GCVS SS Cyg) 03:23:54     Target Started (12/16) Target started (12/16, UGC 6983 w/SN2022pru, ToO) 03:23:58     Target Failed Target failed due to az limit (12/16, UGC 6983 w/SN2022pru, ToO) 03:27:37     Target Started (13/16) Target started (13/16, GCVS EV Lac) 03:30:24       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:32:41       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 4) 03:35:15     Target Completed Target completed (13/16, GCVS EV Lac) 03:36:15     Target Started (14/16) Target started (14/16, GCVS Z And) 03:39:00       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:41:23       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 5) 03:46:02     Target Completed Target completed (14/16, GCVS Z And) 03:46:06     Target Started (15/16) Target started (15/16, WDS GRB 34) 03:48:55       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:50:57       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 6) 03:53:17     Target Completed Target completed (15/16, WDS GRB 34) 03:54:11     Target Started (16/16) Target started (16/16, GCVS HH And) 03:56:54       Focusing Started-Foc1 Foc1 Focusing Started (TCF-S) 03:59:10       Focusing Completed Foc1 AutoFocus Completed (Profile No 7) 04:01:15     Target Completed Target completed (16/16, GCVS HH And) 04:01:18   Queue Completed Job Queue completed 04:01:19 Session Closing Session closing 04:02:09   Dome Closed Dome closed (closing time 45s) 04:03:12   Dome Parked Dome parked (parking time 56s), Az: 90.0 deg 04:04:27   Telescope Parked Telescope parked (parking time 72s) 04:04:42   Telescope State Scope parked Turn scope off. (Handbox) 04:05:04   Telescope Switched Off Telescope Power has been switched off via UPB Switch. 04:05:57   Services Stopped Night Services stopped 04:05:59 Session Housekeeping Session Housekeeping started (Create Fits Summary, Transfer Files) 04:06:05 Session Finished Session Finished

Session Alerts

Time     Alert Detail -- No Alerts                --

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Operational Issues (2022-08-18, S1028)

• Critical Issues (0)
• Major Issues (1)
• Minor Issues (0)
• Small Defects (0)
• Continuous Improvement (0)
  

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Critical Issues

• None

Major Issues

• AstroMain crashed with fatal exception in Select Focus Field due to 'typo' in recent code update (23:56). A check-in at 02:00 to the Latest Session webpage showed that operations appeared to have held up after Opening Dome / Equilibration just ahead of Near Zenith Focusing.  Logging on the Observatory Computer showed that AstroMain program had crashed (at 23:56:47) and JIT debugging revealed  'System.InvalidCastExcepton  exception ('Conversion from String "FocusField" to 'Double' in not valid) in GetBestFocusField() routine in a call to WriteLogFileRecord2(). Dome closed at 23:58, it is  unclear if this was by order of MakeObservatortSafe() routine which may have been called by a still running thread in AstroMain (can't be collaborated as logging was no longer active due to 'crash') or by order of the Dome Relay. Whilst Relay could easily have been triggered at this time AstroGuard doesn't reported critical cloud conditions until 23:59 (around 1 minute after the dome was closed).  AstroGuard stepped in after 15 minutes of inactivity from AstroMain and park the telescope at 00:11, and would have closed the shutter if it hadn't already been closed.  AstroMain 3.53.6 included quite a few code revisions since the last session on 2022-08-11 and unfortunately included a typo in one particular WriteLogFileRecord2 statement where a parameter was passed as '+"(FocusField)"' instead of "(FocusField)". The issue wasn't not picked up by VS2022 compiler  and pre-session testing didn't include this routine. Fixed in-session and new version installed onto the Observatory Computer as AstroMain 3.53.7. Observatory software was restarted and the session then proceeded ok.
  Fixed in-session 2022-08-19 (AstroMain 3.53.7)

Minor Issues

• None

Small Defects

• None

• None

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